Drone Talk Takes Flight at Tech Council

An upcoming program by the New Jersey Tech Council will offer the chance at an up-close look at the future of drone technology. Drones will take flight inside the 1.6-million-square-foot Bell Labs facility in Holmdel, and the state’s leading businesspeople and researchers will be on hand to discuss and demonstrate unmanned aerial vehicle technology. The program take place on Thursday, September 17 at 3 p.m. Visit www.njtc.org/dronebots. Tickets are $65, $95 for nonmembers.

Karen Dimeo, senior research manager of unmanned aircraft systems for the FAA, will deliver the keynote address. Dimeo has worked for the past eight years on finding ways for drones and manned aircraft to share the skies.

Other speakers include:

Kostas Berkis, a professor of computer science at Rutgers and an expert in robotics. He specializes in designing algorithms for planning and coordinating the motion of robots.

Michael Chumer, information systems professor at NJIT and director of unmanned aircraft systems research. His program is developing ways to use drones in emergency management, homeland security and defense, public safety, and humanitarian assistance disaster recovery.

Steven Cohen, a UAV consultant and photographer who teaches drone technology to Bergen County Technical School students.

Brendan Englot, professor of engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology. He is an expert on robotics whose research is focused on helping robots achieve autonomy in complex environments.

Bin Guan, Chief Technology Officer of Yorktel.

Long Phan, CEO of Top Flight Technologies. Top Flight, based in Boston, is a maker of drones. Its Airborg H6 1500 can fly 100 miles with a 20 pound payload.

Wendy Roberts, CEO of Five Elements Robotics. Her company, headquartered in Wall, makes the Budgee, a robotic assistant that follows you and carries your stuff.

Joseph Sheairs, director of the Stockton Aviation Research and Technology Park. The airfield is a test site for the FAA drone research project.

David Yoel, CEO of American Aerospace. The Bridgeport, Pennsylvania-based company makes long endurance unmanned aircraft for emergency response as well as the oil, gas, and power industries.